Steam engine



Dec. 1924- 1,519,672

J. A. DOBLE STEAM ENGINE Filed June 5, 1919 4 eets-Sheet 1 oFfigL t MtvQ/ J A? t 20 r'zarys Dec. 16, 1924- 1,519,672

7 J. A. DOBLE STEAM ENGINE Filed June 5, 1919 4 ee s'Sheet 2 WITNESS INVENTOR g. Ja/m/ 67 Dos-4,5

ATTORNEYS Dec. 1924 1,519,672

' J. A. DOBLE STEAM ENGINE Fil d June 5, 1919 4 Sheets-Shet 5 liLMllilllJllllllllllilll IMll Illillllll!LulllllllllllllllllIllllllllllIIlldililIl I WITNESS INUENTUR (19727114. 001226,

4 Hrrmanevs J. A. DOBLE STEAM ENGINE Filed June 5 1919 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 F195 F197 Pia tented Dec. 16, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,519,672 PATENT OFFICE JOHN A. DOBLE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO DOBLE LABORA- TORIES, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNJIA, A CQRIBORA'I'ION OF CALIFORNIA.

STEAM ENGINE.

Application filed .Tune 5,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN A. Donne, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented a certain new and useful Steam Engine, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to steam engines and particularly to the valve mechanism of such engines.

An object of the invention is to provlde a simple and compact valve mechanism for a steam engine.

Another object of the invention is to provide, means for simultaneously controlling the inlet and exhaust valves of the multiplicity of cylinders.

The invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which, with the foregoing,,will be set forth at length in the follow- .ing description, where I shall outline in full,

that form of the invention which I have solected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. In said drawings I have shown one embodimentof my invention, but

i itis to be understood that I do not limit myself to such form, since the invention, as expressed in the claims, may be embodied in a plurality of forms. 7 Referring to said drawings: 1 Figure 1 is a vertical cross section through the engine of my invention.

Fig.- 2 is a detail of a portion of the valve controlling mechanism arranged at the end of the engine. I

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section on a larger scale, of a .portion of the engine shown in Fig. 1. Y

Figure 4 is a plan of the engine, parts thereof being broken away to disclose the construction.

Figure 5 is an elevation of .the steam inlet Figure 6 is an elevation of the exhaust valve. 7 1

Figure 7 is a section of the inlet valve taken on the line 7-7 Figure 5.

Fi re 8 is a cross section of the engine taken on the line 88 Figure 3.

The valve mechanism of my invention is applicable to steam engines having one or more cylinders, and is particularly applicable to multi-cylinder engines, the particular engine shown in the rawings compris- 1919. Serial No. 301,898.

ing a twelve-cylinder engine, having a series of six horizontal cylinders arranged on opposite sides of the crank shaft. Each cylin-' der is provided with a rotary inlet valve and a rotary outlet valve, and means are provided for rotating all of said valves simultaneously and for shifting them longitudinally simultaneously for reversing and changing the valve setting of the engine. The engine comprises a suitable metallic casing 2, on which are arranged the rows of cylinders 34, on opposite sides of the crank-shaft 5. In each cylinder there is disposed a trunk piston 6 which is connected to the crank shaft by the connecti'ngrod 7 Each cylinder is provided with a' steam inlet port 8 and two outlet ports 12 and 13, the outlet port 12 cylinder is controlled by the rotating inlet valve 14 disposed in the valve seat 15v preferably arranged above the cylinder. The exhaust of steam through the port 12 is controlled by the rotary exhaust valve 16 disposed in the valve seat '17, preferably ar ranged below the cylinder.

The inlet valve 14 is provided with a steam inlet controlling portion .18. and on both sides of the controlling portion is pro vided with packing rings 19, which prevent the longitudinal flow of steam. The valve seat 15 is provided with an enlarged steam admission port 21, which, when the'valve is in position for forward driving of the engine, is always in communication with the groove or recess 22 in the valve. The groove 22 is of varying width, longitudinally of the valve, so that by shifting the valve longitudinally the time of cut-ofi of the flow of steam into the inlet port 8 may be varied.

The valve may be shifted longitudinally to vary the cut-ofi', but on account of the width of the port 21, steam under pressure is always present in the groove 22. The controlling portion 18 is-also' provided witha re verse groove 23, which when moved into position to register with the inlet 8,

causes a reverse rotation of the engine; The

a steam controlling portion 24, forming a tight running fit with the seat, and the portion 24 is provided with forward and reverse outlet passages 25land 26.

Means are pr vided for rotating the valves in time with the reciprocation of the pistons. Secured to the stem of each inlet valve 14, is a longitudinally toothed or splined element or head'27 -which fits into a complementary splined bushing 28, rotatable in theengine casing. The head 27 1s,

therefore, rotatable'with the bushing and longitudinally mo'va ble with respect thereto. The bushing 28 is provided with spirally disposed gear teeth 31 which are engaged by the spirall cut teeth of the gear 32. The

gears 32, t ere being one for each cylinder,

are secured respectively to the longitudinally disposed shafts 3334 which extend for the length of the engine casing.

The exhaust valves 16 are similarly provided with splined heads 35, engaging in splined bushings, which are rotated by the gears 36 secured to the longitudinal shafts 3738. The four longitudinal shafts 33-3437-38 are interconnected with each other and with the crank shaft, so that the all rotate synchronously. Secured to the crank shaft 5 adjacent one end, is a gear 39 which meshes with gears 4142-43 and 44 secured to the shafts 33-343'Z-and 38 respectively,

Means are also provided for shifting all of the valves simultaneously to vary the time of cutoff or to stop or reverse theen gine. The stem of the inlet valve it is provioled with a series of regularly spaced pe-' ripheral projections or teeth 45 which are engaged by the teeth of the rocking gear 46, there being a gear lfi-for' each inlet valve. These gears are secured to the shafts 4t? and 48 disposed on opposite sides of and extending longitudinally of the casing, Similarly, the stems of the exhaust valves 16 are provided with peripheral teeth lgwhich are en gaged by ears 51 secured to the shafts 52 exhaust valve 16 is similarly provided with v and 53. otation of either of the shafts 47485253 will cause a longitudinal movement of the respective valves. Secured to the ends of the shafts 47-48-52-53 are segmental gears 5l55--5657, which are in mesh with each other so that all of the shafts rotate together, and attached to one of the segmental gears, for' instance 55, is a control lever 58 by which all of-the shafts f r are rocked to vary the positions of the valves.

I claim: a

1. In a steam engine, a plurality of horizontal cylinders arranged in a row, an inlet valve seat arranged above and parallel to the axis of each cylinder,,a rotary and 1011- gitudinally'movable inlet valve in each seat, means for rotating said valves synchronously, means for simultaneously moving said valves longitudinally, an exhaust valve seat arranged below and parallel to the axis of each cylinder, a rotary exhaust valve in each seat, means for rotating the exhaust valves synchronously and means for simultaneously moving the exhaustvalves longitudinall a 2. In a steam engine, a plurality of cyliny ders arranged in a row, a rotary and longitudinally movable inle't valve for each cylr.

inder, a stem on each of said valves, a splined .the second shaft with the valve stems whereby rocking of the shaft produces longitudinal movement of the valves, means for rotating said first shaft and means for rocking said second shaft.

In testimony whereof, l have hereunto set my hand at San Francisco, Galifornia, thi 26th day of May, 1919.

JUHN A. noses, ln presence of-- y Gr Pacer, 

